Complaints

Land Use Complaints

The number of land use complaints in Mendocino County have remained relatively steady over the past 5 years at about 275 per year with garbage and sewage complaints representing 60-70% of all complaints in 1994-1998.

Solid waste complaints are those registered by the public about alleged illegal garbage accumulation and disposal. Since 1994, over 1/3 of land use complaints are related to garbage.

Consumer Protection Complaints

The total number of complaints filed against food facilities was 95 for 1998, up from the past 4-year average of 76.

Food-borne illness complaints varied from a high of 48 in 1993, 17 in 1994, 12 in 1995, 22 in 1996, and 23 in 1997. The number of food-borne illness complaints rose to 44 in 1998.

An outbreak of Shigella in Willits prompted 318 people to report intestinal illness after eating at a local restaurant, 62 of whom tested positive for the Shigellabacteria. A salsa served at the restaurant was epidemiologically linked to the outbreak by the State Department of Health Services, Division of Communicable Disease Control.

Redwood Empire Hazardous Incident Team (REHIT)

REHIT responded to 40 hazardous materials incidents in 1998. An incidentis a spill or improper disposal of an unknown material that is suspected to be a hazardous waste and may represent an environmental or public health hazard. REHIT does not respond to incidents that can be handled by a local fire agency, usually small amounts of a known material that does not pose a serious environmental or public health threat.

All HazMat (Hazardous Materials) incidents are investigated and some prove to be environmental crimes. An environmental crimeis defined as an incident where criminal or civil charges are filed with the District Attorney against the alleged responsible party. 5-6 of these are handled through the DA’s office each year.